It’s been estimated that the streetwear industry has surpassed the $300 billion mark and is now one of the largest retail segments in the world. And most of the consumers of streetwear are in the Millennial and Generation Z age groups – arguably the best groups to create your customer base off of.

Streetwear has officially become a mainstream industry that more and more people are hopping on-board with as it grows in size.

That’s why right now is the perfect time for any budding fashion entrepreneur to hop on before the train leaves the station.

However, you’re going to find yourself struggling soon if you don’t learn how to set yourself apart from the competition. Think of all of the huge and well-established streetwear brands and other brands who’ve picked up on the urban trend. You’re going to be left in the dust without a solid strategy to back up your brand.

First Things First: Social Media Rules

Even if you’re just starting out as a streetwear brand, you should already know the power and the importance of social media. There’s nothing more important for a newly created brand than getting your social strategy down pat. Nothing! So many streetwear brands have gotten their start thanks to social media networks, so they are indispensable tools for you to use!

Even though you should definitely be engaging with multiple social networks, it’s my suggestion that you start off with Instagram. That’s because Instagram is inherently a visual social network. And you’ve got to start showing off your designs if you ever hope to make any sales! Once you have your Instagram account set up, here’s what your to-do list should look like:

Content: Start posting high-quality content every single day. This could be anything from photos of your designs to videos of your streetwear in real-life or anything else that could engage viewers. This is the first step to building a successful Instagram account.

Influencers: The next step you should take is approaching influencers. Micro-influencers and content creators are going to spread the message about your new brand faster than you could ever do on your own. Send out some free products or pay for influencers with larger followings to promote your pieces.

Engage with Others: You can really only go so far with quality content as a streetwear brand. If you really want to get the word out about your brand on Instagram, then you need to be engaging with other people who are interested in your pieces. Go through streetwear hashtags, follow relevant people, comment on photos consistently, and generally increase your visibility to gain a loyal following.

Get Out of the Box

When you want to promote your new streetwear brand, you have to think outside of the box. In fact, you want to throw that box right out the window! There are so many creative ways that you can get out there, interact with your local community, and get a loyal customer base started up. Here are some examples:

Throw a Party: If you have a physical store, then this can be combined with your store opening. You can have a VIP party right before your store opens up to start drumming up interest. Perhaps you can invite over social media influencers, people from the press, PR reps, or anybody else who will have clout when showing off your brand!

Organize a Pop-Up Store: People always fall for limited time offers. That’s why it’s a good idea to think about organizing a pop-up store for your brand when you’re just starting out. Let people know that your physical store is only going to be open for a short time and they’re for sure going to stop by. At the least, they’ll know more about your brand and will start buying off of your website!

What more crazy ideas can you come up with?

Collaborate with Other Brands

Now, this one might seem a little counter-productive to your profit-making, but here me out. There’s something valuable about actually working with other streetwear brands, rather than constantly competing for the wallets of your customers. Think about the potential reach you could have as a small urban brand partnering up with a larger brand. You could automatically garner tons of attention thanks to one collaboration!

And these types of projects can come in many different forms. You can do a joint design of some new pieces that both of your stores will end up launching together. You can throw an event together that promotes both brands or just streetwear in general. Or you can promote each other’s brands on social media to garner some more attention. There are so many ways that you can take the power of the massive streetwear community and use it to your advantage.

Use Discounts Wisely

Now, let’s assume that you have your online store up and running. Don’t think that you can or should keep your prices at the same level all of the time! This is no way to keep your old customers around and keep new customers coming in.

Even in today’s digital age, everyone loves a good discount or voucher code. Make sure to think about what discounts you can integrate into your website and customer process. What do your customers get when they first sign up for your email list? Do they get any special voucher after a first purchase? When will you have seasonal sales and what limited time discounts are you going to be offering? Create an organized system for all of these discounts and how you’re going to be promoting them.

Streetwear is Huge! Now is Your Time.

Thanks to the vitality of the streetwear and urban industry, it’s your time to find success in this industry. Use the above tips to get your start and you’re bound to get your streetwear brand off the ground in the best way possible.

Mash is the Founder & CEO of SpellBrand. Since 1998, Mash has helped 100s of companies differentiate themselves from the competition through Brand Strategy and Brand Identity design. Mash is also the host of the wildly popular The Brand Builder Show.

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